Brokenhearted Beauty(Divine Creek Ranch 19)(24)

Vincent’s eyes pleaded with her. “Leah, I—” He bit back whatever he was about to say and nodded. “Okay. Just be careful on the road. And please…”

He was silent for several seconds, looking like he wanted to flee.

She asked, “Please what?”

He chewed his lip for a few more seconds and then kissed the top of her head. “Please come back.”

James could see there was much more Vincent wanted to say but he didn’t. It wasn’t the right time to tell her he loved her. That was an unfair burden to put on her. And given her present defensive mood she might even see it as a ploy to get her to stay. The fact that Vincent genuinely loved her wasn’t up for debate in James’s mind. He knew it to be fact.

Vincent walked out of the kitchen and a few seconds later the shower came on.

“I’d better go,” Leah said as she took her plate to the sink and rinsed it. “Thank you for breakfast.”

“You’re welcome, honey. Be patient with us, okay? We’re pretty attached to you.”

She went to him and put her arms around his waist and he kissed her forehead, her temple, and her cheek. As he held her, he felt the way her breathing hitched from crying so much. She tilted her head to look up at him and he leaned down farther and kissed her lips. Turmoil was in her eyes as she looked up at him, and he would’ve given anything to replace her pain with joy.

“I wish this was easier, James. I want to move forward. I just need time.”

He nodded and walked her out onto the front porch. He understood her need for time. It didn’t ease the ache in his heart to think she might leave but he’d give her what she needed even if it cost him. The day was already heating up and the sound of birdcalls filled the otherwise quiet morning. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure.” She turned to him and slid her hand into his.

He looked down at her delicately boned hand and said, “When you look into my eyes, and hear my voice, when I hold your hand like this…is it me you see? Or is it still Patterson?”

She stared off into the distance and then looked down at his hand holding hers and up into his eyes. Her eyes were teary but she smiled through them just a little. “It’s you, James. It’s definitely you.” She breathed in the morning air and the sound was a little shaky.

He released her hand and walked her down the steps to her car. He gave her a little wave and watched her back out and drive down the gravel driveway.

His brother was off until Monday but James had to work a shift that day. After he’d finished getting ready for work, he paused in the doorway of the master suite. The covers and pillows were rumpled and one of the candles still flickered in the dim morning light filtering in through the array of windows that looked out over the river.

He disliked the sensation of his world teetering on her decision the way it did. He wanted the master suite to be lived in full time. He wanted a future with her but only if she came to them freely, without being coerced.

Later that morning, while he was on a call from dispatch, his phone rang but he had to let it go to voice mail. It was lunchtime by the time he checked to see who the call was from and discovered it was from Leah. He was already near the store and rather than calling her, he decided to just drop by and see her, but not before making a brief detour at Merritt’s Flower Shop.

He was just heading down the hallway where her office was located when Leah’s sister Presley Ann came out of bookkeeping with a covered cash register till and a sheaf of papers. It’d been a while since he’d seen her and he’d forgotten that Leah had mentioned a few months before that she was expecting, which was now evident. The physical change went deeper than just the little baby bump rounding out her middle, though. The flirty façade she’d been known for was noticeably absent.

“Oh, hello—” She looked at his badge and tag and then added, “—sir.”

He smiled at Presley Ann. “It’s okay, you can call me James.”

She smiled back at him, looked away for a second and then nodded. “Okay…James. I’ve always been bad with names but I’ll try to remember. Were you looking for Leah?” She glanced at the bouquet of red roses he carried and her smile carried true warmth.

“Yeah, is she around?”

She hesitated as she tucked a curly blonde lock behind her ear and said, “She left a couple of hours ago. She said that she was going out of town on a trip for Dad. Have you tried calling her?”

“Not yet, no.” Checking that voice mail message might’ve been a good idea, though.

“She’ll be in Abilene until Tuesday. She wasn’t sure about her cell phone reception while she was driving. When she checks in, would you like us to pass a message along to her?”